How did the Great Northern War, which saw Sweden pitted against Peter the Great’s Russia and her allies, and would transform Europe forever, begin? Who was Charles XII, Sweden’s King, and a worthy antagonist for the formidable Peter? What terrible miscalculation saw Russia’s Danish allies brutally knocked from the war in its early stage? What dreadful havoc did Peter’s Cossacks wreak upon the Eastern Baltic? And, who was the young farm girl who would go on to capture the heart of a Tsar? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Peter the Great, the early stages of the tumultuous Great Northern War, and his scandalous marriage to a serving girl? The Rest Is History Club: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to full series and live show tickets, ad-free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestishistory.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestishistory. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Rest Is History Returns, available now in all good bookshops. On what foundation stands the warrior's pride? How just his hopes let Swedish Charles decide. A frame of adamant, a soul of fire. No dangers fright him, and no labours tire. Her love, her fear extends his wide domain, unconquered lord of pleasure and of pain.
No joys to him Pacific scepters yield, war sounds the trump, he rushes to the field. Behold surrounding kings their power to combine, and one capitulate, and one resign. Peace courts his hand, but spreads her charms in vain. Think nothing gained, he cries, till naught remain. On Moscow's walls till Gothic standards fly. And all be mine beneath the polar sky.
So that was Dr. Samuel Johnson, the greatest Englishman of all time, in his poem, The Vanity of Human Wishes, which was published in 1749. And Swedish Charles, the hero of that splendid passage, is not just the supreme antagonist of Peter the Great, a worthy rival to the theme of our ongoing series. but one of the most charismatic and extraordinary characters in all of European history.
So he is the king of Sweden and he is a magnetic, terrifying, swashbuckling, obsessive oddball. Which is to say, Dominic, that he is one of the great romantic heroes of history. And Dr. Johnson writes about him in due course. Byron will write about him as well. And he is a great theme of poetry right the way up to the present day.
And this is the man who, at the end of the last episode, Peter the Great has decided he will take on.
That's right. So we're about to get into the Great Northern War, a 21-year war that completely reshapes the map of Europe. And as you said, Tom, we had two episodes last week about young Peter the Great. What an extraordinary character he is, inserting bellows into people. All the carry on with the Streltsy, these kind of murderous pikemen.
It's a kind of, it's like a murderous stag do, isn't it?
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